Finding the mountain cats
by Thesoundlessrune
Summary: Mostly about Nightpaw. Read and find out. Rated T cause I want to be safe.
1. Chapter 1

Prologue

It was in the middle of leaf-bare and I was alone. "Mama!" I cried.

"Did you hear a kit?" A brown tom came into my view.

"Oakleaves! Get Dawnstripes, there's a lost kit." The tom yowled.

"What about you, Fallenleaf?" Oakleaves asked.

"I'll help the kit back to camp," Fallenleaf meowed, lifting me by the scruff.

I squirmed, "Where's my mama?" I cried.

"I don't know kit, but you'll be safe in Shadowclan." Fallenleaf purred.

When we made it back to camp, Dawnstripes rushed towards me.

"What was the kit doing out in the cold!" Dawnstripes started licking my fur the wrong way.

"Ask if Gingerfoot will take her as her own," Dawnstripes said in between licks.

"I already did and she said yes." Oakleaves said.

They carried me into the nursery where a queen was nursing her two kits.

"That's the kit?" The queen asked.

"Yes, Gingerfoot. What are you going to name her?" Dawnstripes asked, setting me down next to the other kits.

"I'll name her Nightkit," Gingerfoot meowed, "Nightkit? These are your siblings, Featherkit and Berrykit."

Chapter 1

"Come on Featherpaw! Dovewings said that we could hunt!" I said pushing at my sister, Featherpaw.

"I'm tired Nightpaw! Why don't you go with Berrypaw?" Featherpaw grumbled.

"Because, he'll scare away all the prey!" I said, pushing Featherpaw again.

"Just leave me alone, please." Featherpaw whined, "My warrior ceremony is tonight and I want to be fully rested for it."

"Oh. What do you think your name will be? Did Tawnytail tell you?" I asked.

"No, but she said my last night as an apprentice," Featherpaw's eyes glowed with pride.

"I think you'll be the best warrior ever! Shadowclan is going to be glad they have you." I purred.

"Thanks Gingerfoot!" Featherpaw said sarcastically.

I decided to stop bothering Featherpaw and bother Berrypaw.

"Berrypaw? Do you want to go hunting with me?" I asked, sticking my head in the medicine cat's den.

"I can't anymore. I have to fetch herbs," Berrypaw said padding out into the clearing.

"That's okay. I'll just ask Dovewings." I meowed.

"I wish I could. It would be fun, just catching prey and not worrying that you'll get the wrong herb," Berrypaw sighed.

I nodded and then left to l found my mentor, Dovewings. I found her talking to Whitestar, our leader.

"Dovewings? I was wondering if you'd like to go hunting with me." I asked when Dovewings finally looked my way.

"I'm kind of busy right now, Nightpaw. But maybe later," She meowed softly.

Dovewings was the Deputy and she made sure that Whitestar didn't waste all her lives; she also will be leader when Whitestar dies.

I nodded and started going away when I heard my name being called.

"Nightpaw! I want to ask you something, but you'll have to keep it quiet. If it gets into the wrong paws, who knows what'll happen." A cat whispered.

"What? Who are you?" I meowed looking at a speckled cat.

"I'm Blackstar. I was leader before Whitestar." He meowed.

"What do you mean you want to tell me something? Nobody listens to me, so you should give the message to some important cat, like my mentor Dovewings." I said looking back to the leader's den.

"But Starclan wants to give it to you, not Dovewings. This is the message and with it a task: Go to the mountains, find Feather floating on the River and tell her that her clan needs her." Blackstar murmured.

"Mountains? Like the ones the clans crossed when finding this place? With the Mountain cats?" I asked stunned, "That's almost a five day journey. I can't make it alone!"

"Bring a cat from each clan. Riverclan, Windclan, and Thunderclan; meet at Fourtrees tonight. But be warned, the path isn't easy," He warned.

"Nothing's like it seems," I agreed.

"Wise words, for an apprentice." He nodded.

_At Windclan camp_

Stormlily woke-up suddenly.

"Where's Brackenstar? I have to talk to him," She commanded Cloudpetal, the deputy.

"He's sleeping, which you should be." Cloudpetal growled.

"I have to see him! This is a life or death situation. One for all clans or Starclan wouldn't have told me." She spoke with authority of a senior warrior.

"Fine, but if he tries killing you, it's not my fault." Cloudpetal said stepping out of the way.

As Stormlily walked into the leader's den, she thought she heard cats fighting.

"I don't think telling him is a good idea! I mean Nightpaw should do it herself and not have help. I didn't have help on my journey," A cat growled.

"Yeah, I was no help to you then? Stop being mouse-brained, Goosefeather." A cat that I recognized as Lightningstripe.

"You died halfway through the trip! It's not my fault you stumbled into the jaws of hungry dogs," Goosefeather hissed.

Stormlily focused on telling Brackenstar what she was told, "And Starclan said to go tomorrow night,"

"Then you shall go. Tell Hailfire to get you some traveling herbs," Brackenstar exclaimed.

Stormlily was surprised, "You want me to go? I thought you would tell me to stay here and put me on apprentice duties for a moon!"

"Of course I want you to go! Starclan-, never mind, it isn't something for you to worry about." Brackenstar purred, "Go my daughter, or I will do what you said."

_Riverclan camp_

Reedwhisker was hunting fish when a cat padded up to him.

"Reedwhisker? I come with a message: Go to the mountains, find Feather floating on the River and tell her that her clan needs her. You will meet with cats from the clans tomorrow night," Reedwhisker's sister, Silverstone, said.

"Silverstone? I'll do what you say, but I wish you didn't die from kitting. Jaykit, Skykit, and Heatherkit are doing fine." He meowed softly.

Silverstone purred, "They're going to be apprentices' next moon,"

"I'll meet the other cats, but I don't know where we'll be meeting."

"Fourtrees," She murmured.

_Thunderclan camp_

Hopekit was bouncing around.

"Hopekit! I told you to stop it so I could check you over," Bearclaw growled.

"I'm sorry Bearclaw, but it's going to be my apprentice ceremony!" Hopekit meowed.

"Hopekit? Starclan told me to tell you something," Leopardspot, Thunderclan's medicine cat, said.

"Starclan wanted to tell me something?!" Hopekit exclaimed, eyes wide in surprise.

"Bearclaw, if you could leave?" Leopardspot flicked her tail to the entrance of the nursery.

Bearclaw nodded and left Hopekit alone with Leopardspot.

"Go to the mountains, find Feather floating on the River and tell her that her clan needs her." Leopardspot repeated the message, "I wish you luck on the journey,"

"Where should I meet the other cats?" Hopekit asked.

"How did you know about the other cats?" Leopardspot asked, surprised.

"Well, obviously they wouldn't send a kit by itself," Hopekit exhale noisily.

"You meet the other cats tomorrow night at Fourtrees," Leopardspot purred.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

_#Nightpaw POV#_

I was walking to Fourtrees and saw two cats already waiting.

"Stormlily? And Reedwhisker? That's who Starclan picked to help me?" I exclaimed.

"Nightpaw? That's who's helping us?!" Reedwhisker hissed, "Shadowclan is involved in everything they don't need to be."

"Starclan invited you to help me. They told me that I had to find Feather floating on the River and to tell her that her clan needs her!" I hissed, my fur sticking up.

"Both of you stop! Before you claw each other's fur out!" Stormlily growled going in-between us.

"I have to help you guys! Wow, Starclan must really be worried," Hopekit hopped into view.

"They're sending a kit on a warrior journey!" I meowed, flabbergasted.

"It's Hopepaw! I'm an apprentice now," Hopepaw exclaimed.

"You just got apprenticed today?!" Stormlily asked.

"Yesterday, so I know how to hunt and basic battle moves." Hopepaw growled menacingly.

"That's enough!" Reedwhisker meowed.

"We could to pass through Shadowclan borders, or we could make it harder and go through Windclan and do an arc." I proposed.

"I think going through Shadowclan would be faster, but I would prefer going through Windclan," Stormlily sighed.

"Shadowclan," Reedwhisker said.

"Yeah, or we could go through Windclan," Hopepaw said.

"No, Shadowclan!" Reedwhisker growled.

"Shadowclan, attack!" A cat yowled.

"RUN!" Stormlily cried.

We all ran strait into Shadowclan borders.

"Windclan, attack!" Another cat yowled.

"Thunderclan, attack!" A third cat yowled.

"Riverclan, attack!" A fourth cat yowled.

We kept running until we were in the middle of Shadowclan territory.

"Now where?" Hopepaw panted

"Now we rest. I think we have about a moon's journey until we reach our destination," I yawned.

"That sounds good to me," Reedwhisker consented.

_Shadowclan camp_

_ #Ebonyclaw POV#_

I gasped, what was Nightpaw doing?

"Whitestar! I have information on the cats!" I yowled when I climbed into the leader's den.

"Where are they heading? We have to subdue them," Whitestar growled.

"I think they're heading into the mountains," I said, hesitantly.

"Well, you should spy on them by making them trust you. You are, after all, joining the group." Whitestar smiled, "And who are they to send a clan mate away, even if they were exiled for something they didn't do,"

"What are you saying? I didn't do anything," I meowed.

"Exactly, I mean if I didn't have to exile you for killing that kit, you would still be in the clan," Whitestar was full-on evil smirking.

"But no kit died! The clan would know you're lying," I hissed.

"Oh, but you were the last one to leave the nursery and you also found Gorgekit dead, with his blood on your claws. Or do you want your sister, Eaglefall, to die?" Whitestar asked, deceitfully.

"Do I have to kill the kit, or just be found with his blood on my claws and him dead?" I stiffened

"Kill him," Whitestar's smirk didn't waver, "And I'll make sure that he's dead, or your sister will meet Starclan,"

I nodded and left, departing to the nursery.

In the nursery I saw Shadepatch nursing Gorgekit, Talonkit, and Joykit.

"I can take care of them, Shadepatch," I purred.

"Okay, I think I'll go eat something," Shadepatch nodded.

When Shadepatch left, I picked up Gorgekit. He was only a moon old.

"I'm so sorry, and I hope you'll make it to Starclan," I whispered.

I slashed his throat out and then left the nursery.

"Shadepatch? They're calling for you," I meowed and then hurried to the warrior den.

Shadepatch nodded and picked up a sparrow for herself.

"Eaglefall? I wanted you to know that I'm sorry and that I hope you won't judge me like other cats," I meowed to my sister.

"Of course I won't, why? Did you fall into a stream?" Eaglefall joked.

"No, but I wish I could've helped you with your kits," I meowed.

"They're fine and healthy apprentices," Eaglefall looked befuddled.

"I'm so sorry!" I wept.

"Ebonyclaw! By order of Whitestar, you are to be banished for killing a kit!" Tawnytail commanded, "If we see you on Shadowclan borders, you will be driven off like a rogue,"

"I won't bother Shadowclan anymore," I promised.

I left the camp and was escorted to the edge of the forest.

"Only a day until I catch up with them," I whispered to myself.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

_ #Nightpaw POV#_

I wonder if a cat's following us. I mean, our disappearance wouldn't go unnoticed.

"Do you wonder if we're being followed?" I asked the others.

"Sort of, but I think it's just the nerves," Hopepaw meowed.

"You guys are just plain paranoid! We aren't being followed!" Reedwhisker grumbled irritated.

"I think that you should smell before talking," Ebonyclaw meowed, stepping out of the bushes behind us.

"Ebonyclaw! What are you doing here?" I meowed calmly.

"You don't seem surprised," Stormlily's eyes were narrow, "Did you know she was spying on us?"

"No, but I was visited by Starclan last night, and Darkstar said that I would see someone familiar, but not to trust them." I said truthfully.

"You don't trust me?" Ebonyclaw asked.

"What are you doing here?" I repeated.

"I was exiled for doing something I was forced to do," Ebonyclaw's eyes were pleading, "Whitestar made me kill a kit! He said to do it or he'd kill Eaglefall, and he was being serious,"

Hopepaw hissed, "You killed a kit?! That's against the warrior code!"

"Who was it?" I asked.

"Gorgekit," Ebonyclaw whispered.

"Your daughter's kit?" Stormlily gasped.

"Yes," Ebonyclaw's head sunk.

"That still doesn't explain why you want to help," I ground my teeth.

"I have to show them that Whitestar is evil," Ebonyclaw said.

"And you have to go on a quest to show it? And the quest just so happens to be our quest?" Reedwhisker sneered.

Ebonyclaw bristled, "I wanted to be with a clan mate,"

"But the clan mate doesn't want to be with you, so sad," Reedwhisker continued to torment Ebonyclaw.

"I do," I spoke up, "I do want her with us,"

The four cats looked at me.

"If you don't want me around, I could leave," Ebonyclaw stared at me.

"We'll be fine with another cat," Stormlily, Reedwhisker, and Hopepaw nodded in agreement.

"That settles it, you're staying," Hopepaw flicked her tail on Ebonyclaw's shoulder.

"I wonder if Cloudstar knows I'm missing," Hopepaw meowed.

"Of course he knows! Unless he's a lazy mouse-brain." Stormlily exclaimed.

_Thunderclan camp_

_ #Bearclaw POV#_

"Where is she?!" Cloudstar exploded.

"She'll be fine," Leopardspot yawned, "You didn't have to wake us up an hour after I fell asleep."

"My kit is missing and all you have to say is that we didn't have to wake you up!?" I screeched at Leopardspot.

I jumped and whacked her ear.

"You afraid to fight me?" I taunted.

"I won't care for your injuries," Leopardspot warned.

I growled, claws unsheathed, and clawed her flank.

"Stop it!" Cloudstar pointed to the moon, which was covered, "Starclan wants you to stop!"

I growled, "I have a kit to find anyway,"

_Deep in the forest_

_ #Ebonyclaw POV#_

"Why did she accept me?" I thought, "When she knew I killed a kit?"

"No one deserves to be clanless," Nightpaw meowed, padding up to me.

"We should get going, before it's dark," Reedwhisker said, looking at how the sun was going down, "We have about. . . Six hours before it gets dark,"

All the cats nodded and started leaving.

"Where are we going exactly?" I asked five minutes later.

"To deliver a message," Stormlily meowed stiffly.

"Where?" I asked again.

"To the mountains!" Hopepaw pranced.

I stopped, pretending to be surprised, "We're going to the mountains? But that's almost a moon away!"

"And it'll take longer if you keep stopping!" Reedwhisker growled, shoving me ahead of him.

"Sorry," I bent my head in embarrassment.

"How long have you been a warrior? A day?" Reedwhisker sneered.

"Stop it Reedwhisker!" Stormlily growled.

"Fine, but only if Ebonyclaw hurries up," Reedwhisker obeyed.

Nightpaw padded up to me, "Do you see something forming?"

"No," I answered truthfully, "What?"

Nightpaw rolled her eyes, "Never mind."

_Shadowclan camp_

_ #Featherpaw POV#_

_The night when Nightpaw left._

I was proud of my warrior name, Featherdrop, and so was my mother. My sister went missing that night, so she doesn't like talking to me.

"Gingerfoot, you should be proud. One of your kit's got a warrior name," They said.

But I was never her favorite. It was always Nightpaw this, Nightpaw that. Oh, she wasn't stupid, she didn't let Nightpaw know that she was her favorite kit.

"Will you patrol the border with Tawnytail, Racketfur, and Snowpaw? Just near Riverclan," Dovewings asked.

"Sure," I nodded, gathering the people needed.

We were walking along the border, when a Riverclan cat appeared in the water.

My group hissed.

"Sorry, I was collecting herbs for our new medicine cat, Paddedlegs," The cat said with a mouth full of water reeds.

**P.s. I don't care if water reeds aren't real medicine; I'm too lazy to actually find some. Back to the story.**

"Sure, and we were just-" Racketfur started to say.

"Racketfur!" I twirled and swatted him.

"Continuing," Tawnytail said, padding on.

When we finished patrolling, we returned to camp, "Ebonyclaw killed Gorgekit!" I was informed by a crazed Eaglefall.

"Calm down, I'm sure they got the wrong person," I soothed.

"No, she was the last person in there and she had Gorgekit's blood on her claws," Shadepatch joined our group.

"You guys gossip like elders," Gingerfoot purred, licking my ear, "I heard you saw a Riverclan cat,"

I ducked, avoiding her tongue, "Yeah, but nothing serious,"

Gingerfoot nodded looking away, "Nightpaw should've been on that patrol. I wish I knew who took her,"

Shadepatch gasped, "What if Ebonyclaw took her and then killed my kit?!"

Gingerfoot nodded in agreement, but Eaglefall meowed, "No, she wouldn't do that,"

"She did kill Gorgekit," Snowpaw pointed out.

We all nodded at that.

"Maybe Riverclan took her?" Eaglefall suggested.

"Maybe she tried running away from a cat, landed in the river, and died." Whitestar meowed walking up to us.

Eaglefall shifted her weight.

"Maybe," Eaglefall meowed.

"I'm gonna sleep," I yawned.

I walked into the warrior den and curled-up on my nest.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

_#Hopepaw POV#_

"Why did they act like I was a helpless kit?" I thought, "Is it because I scared the prey away that one time?"

Stormlily was talking to Reedwhisker about setting camp up, Nightpaw was talking to Ebonyclaw about what happened when they were away, and no one was with me.

"We should sleep. We'll go at dawn," Reedwhisker meowed.

We all nodded and slept under the trees.

_#Nightpaw POV#_

"Ebonyclaw was forced to kill that kit," I thought again and again, "She isn't a cold-blooded killer,"

"Goodnight," Ebonyclaw yawned.

I nodded.

When everyone was asleep, I tried clearing my mind by walking. "Why did Ebonyclaw kill Gorgekit?" I whispered to myself.

"I told you, I was forced to," Ebonyclaw kept saying when I asked her before.

"Who- AHH!" I screamed, falling into a river.

I swam to the forest floor and chuckled at myself.

Ebonyclaw, Reedwhisker, Stormlily, and Hopepaw all came running into view.

"What happened? We heard you scream," Hopepaw asked looking around.

**I don't care if cats can't scream, mine can!**

"I fell into the water," I meowed shaking my pelt.

"You woke us up, because you fell in the water," Reedwhisker growled, "Not because a cat was fighting you or anything important?"

"I could've drowned if I didn't know how to swim!" I replied arrogantly.

"How do you know how to swim? You're a Shadowclan cat, not a Riverclan," Hopepaw asked.

"I taught myself when there was a huge puddle," I shrugged, "I was a kit,"

"I had to make sure she didn't try in the lake," Ebonyclaw laughed.

They all looked at me.

"Nightpaw? Can we talk to you?" Stormlily asked.

"Yeah, sure." We walked, Hopepaw keeping Ebonyclaw distracted, "What you wanna talk about?"

"Why is Ebonyclaw allowed to come?" Reedwhisker asked when Stormlily said, "We have to get rid of Ebonyclaw,"

"One at a time! I can't hear you over each other," I complained.

Stormlily nodded at Reedwhisker.

"Why is Ebonyclaw alloved to come?" Reedwhisker repeated.

"I need someone familiar, and I thought you guys didn't object," I meowed.

"We have to get rid of Ebonyclaw," Stormlily meowed.

"Why? Did she kill one of us? Or maybe slow us down? She's helping by giving us most of the food! She barely eats, so we can move faster!" I yelled.

"She does, but something's wrong. How did she know where we were? We told no one except the important people," Stormlily nodded.

"She probably followed our scent," I rolled my eyes.

"Never mind," Stormlily growled.

I walked back towards Ebonyclaw.

"Why did I want her with us?" I thought, "Is it because we're friends and I don't really know the others?"

"And that was my first prey," Hopepaw finished when I finally made it back.

"Wow, my first prey was a dove," Ebonyclaw meowed.

"A dove? I believe it was a mouse that jumped into your claws because I scared it," I purred, sitting next to them.

"That mouse had a death wish," Ebonyclaw laughed.

Stormlily and Reedwhisker walked into view, saving me from anymore embarrassment.

"We have to keep going," Reedwhisker growled, taking the fresh-kill pile (Which was one mouse and a sparrow) and started towards the mountains,

About two hours later we saw a clearing, "Is this the end of the forest?" Hopepaw asked, running ahead.

"Wait!" Screeched a frightened Ebonyclaw, "We don't know what's ahead!"

Hopepaw glanced back, but was still running.

I saw a twolegs, "Watch out! Twolegs!" I shouted, running for cover.

Hopepaw stopped, looking at the twolegs, "What's so dangerous about them?" She asked brushing up against its leg.

It started petting her, "They're harmless unless you provoke them, and I don't like them," I meowed, climbing out of a tree.

"I didn't know you could move that fast," Stormlily laughed.

I bristled, but it was Reedwhisker who made Stormlily shut up.

When I finally faced my fear and made it past the twolegs, we found kittypets.

"Haven't seen you guys before, are you new?" One asked.

"Shut up Lily, they're forest cats by the smell of them," The other hissed.

Lily rolled her eyes, "Not all of us are as hostile as Quicktail," She reassured us.

"What clan?" Ebonyclaw asked.

"Shadowclan," Quicktail growled, "But they exiled me,"

"They exiled her and probably would've exiled me, but it's just Whitestar that does it," I nodded.

"Whitestar was know as Whitenose in my days as a 'paw. Did you know Whitenose killed Blackstar when I was eight moons old? Two moons after I was apprenticed. The worst part is that he was my mentor and he framed me for the death of Blackstar," Quicktail spat, "But I worshipped Blackstar, I would never kill him,"

"I was forced to murder a kit," Ebonyclaw meowed, "My sister would've died if I didn't,"

"Well aren't you two a pile of sunshine," Lily rolled her eyes, and showed us where we would sleep for the night.

In the morning we thanked Lily and Quicktail.

As we walked across the meadow, Stormlily was running like the wind.

"I miss the moor," Stormlily sighed, running past us.

"Not everything is a race," Hopepaw grumbled, trying to catch up.

"Your just grumpy cuz we're faster," Ebonyclaw laughed.

"Am not! Plus you guys have longer legs than me!" Hopepaw whined.

"Just try keeping up," I said chasing after Stormlily and Reedwhisker.


End file.
